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CSUSM Opens Season with 65-57 Loss to Biola

Fri, Nov 8, 2024

SAN MARCOS, Calif. – In its 2024-25 season opener, the Cal State San Marcos men's basketball team (0-1) fell 65-57 to Biola (1-0) on Friday afternoon at The Sports Center.
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Dexter Stratton – 17 points | 5 rebounds | 3 steals
Kyelin King – 13 points | 4 rebounds | 3 blocked shots
Donovan Watkins – 11 points | 4 assists | 3 steals
Christian Littlejohn-Chin – 7 points | 9 rebounds | 3 assists | 2 steals
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Up 5-4, Biola went on its longest run of the game by scoring 12 consecutive points to take a 17-4 lead at the 13:49 mark of the period after Davian Brown made two free throws.
  • The Eagles took their largest lead of the game on a Harris 3-pointer to go up 28-8 with 10:50 to go in the half.
  • Trailing by 18 at 42-24, the Cougars ended the half on a 6-0 run with a jumper by Dexter Stratton, a 3-pointer by Kyelin King and a free throw by Christian Littlejohn-Chin to make it 42-30.
  • In the first half, CSUSM shot 36.4% (12-of-33) to Biola's 55.6% (15-of-27). The Eagles also went 53.3% (8-of-15) from beyond the arc.
  • A 7-0 run by the Cougars in the opening minutes of the second half cut the Eagles' lead to 44-39 after Will Harris made a jumper in the paint with 14:07 to play.
  • After a Biola turnover, a driving layup by King put CSUSM within striking distance at 49-46 with 8:56 to go.
  • Biola again went up by double-digits at 58-47 with a 9-1 run that was capped by a pair of Brown free throws with 4:33 remaining.
  • A 10-3 run by the Cougars brought the deficit down to four at 61-57 with 26 seconds left after a Harris free throw, but CSUSM couldn't cut the deficit anymore as Biola ended the game with four made free throws to take the 65-57 win.
  • CSUSM outperformed Biola from the field in the second half by shooting 34.6% (9-of-26) while holding the Eagles to 26.9% (7-of-26).

 
FAST BREAKS

  • CSUSM ended the game shooting 35.6% (21-of-59) from the field while Biola clocked in at 41.5% (22-of-53).
  • The Cougars had the edge in rebounds (41-33), steals (11-6) and blocked shots (3-1) while Biola had more assists (18-12) and fewer turnovers (18-16).
  • CSUSM has 17 second-chance points to Biola's six.
  • Both sides scored 18 points off turnovers and had 17 bench points.
  • Stratton led all scorers with 17 points and was 8-of-12 from the field.
  • This was the Cougars' second consecutive eight-point loss to the Eagles, falling 78-70 last season in La Mirada.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will wrap up its first weekend of play by traveling to Concordia University Irvine on Saturday at 6 p.m.